The Basics…

Mary Pickford was born Gladys Marie Smith on April 8th, 1892 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

She passed away on May 29, 1979 in Santa Monica, California from complications from a cerebral hemorrhage.

This was after many years staying largely at home in her mansion. Pickford shared the home with her second husband (Douglas Fairbanks Sr.) which they nicknamed ‘Pickfair‘.

PICKFORD WOULD MARRY 3 TIMES IN HER LIFE...

(Owen Moore (m. 1911; div. 1920) Douglas Fairbanks (m. 1920; div. 1936) Charles “Buddy” Rogers (m. 1937).

Although, Pickford was an actress known as the original “America’s Sweetheart” she was also a producer, screenwriter and film studio founder.

Perhaps she was born for it…

Mary Pickford came from a family of actors. She began appearing on stage at the age of 5. This was soon after the death of her father and was a way for the family to earn money and escape their grief.

She and her siblings (a younger brother and sister) toured the U.S. with their mother. Back then, the industry was transient and filled with unscrupulous sorts.

However, in 1907, Mary was fed up with the quality of the work and pay she was getting.

So she decided that if she didn’t land a role on Broadway by the end of that year, she would quit acting and pursue a more lucrative career.

SHE GOT A JOB ON BROADWAY THAT SUMMER AND THE REST IS HISTORY AS THEY SAY, SINCE SHE SOON WENT ONTO TO HOLLYWOOD TO PURSUE FILM.

MARY PICKFORD when she was a Ziegfeld Follies Girl

By 1909, Pickford was appearing in 51 films a year.

By 1910, she had signed a contract with Biograph Studios.

Pickford made sure her brother and sister were signed as well, starting with then-14-year-old Jack and closely followed by Lottie, who was just a year younger than Mary.

When Mary signed her first $1 million contract in 1917, she again made sure her family got their own contracts as well.

Her brother Jack, was popular with the ladies and liked a good party. and can be considered one of the first Hollywood “bad boys.”

Sadly, Jack died at the young age of 36 from “multiple neuritis which attacked all the nerve centers.”

Mary’s sister Lottie, suffered a very unexpected heart attack and died at the age of 43.

Pickford alongside her future husband, actor-producer Douglas Fairbanks, founded Pickford–Fairbanks Studios and United Artists. Pickford was also one of the 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Below are pictures of Pickford and Fairbanks…

pictures of Mary Pickford with her husband at the time Douglas Fairbanks Sr.

At one time, Pickford was considered to be one of the most recognizable women in history.

Pickford popularity earned her the nickname “Queen of the Movies”.

She is credited with having defined the ingénue type in cinema.

Although Pickford was awarded the second Academy Award for Best Actress for her first sound film role in Coquette (1929) by the late 1920s, her career was in decline.

Pickford received an Academy Honorary Award in 1976 in consideration of her contributions to American cinema.

The Tragic & Strange Destruction of PICKFAIR…

I remember hearing about the decision to destroy Pickfair (the home Pickford and Fairbanks built together) over something that most people would consider quite minor.

The video below gives you a good overview of this interview from the 90s with Pia Zadora.

I would encourage you to watch the entire video as it offers a good insight into the importance Pickfair played in the early years of the film industry.